From behind Bars II: Out to Africa
by ArizonaSivy
Summary: This is a sequel to my fic 'From behind Bars'. Check out the later events that take place after Mufasa and Scar got caught by humans and placed together in a ZOO.
1. An Introduction

**AN: Greetings everyone! I just got back from Italy and the first thing I thought about was writing something!**

**I was really pleasantly surprised with the good reviews my story 'From behind bars' got. Many of you enjoyed it very much, and when I finished it after 30 chapters I was asked if I'd make a sequel. At first I didn't want to, because I considered the plot to be complete and that there is nothing else to write... But now I kinda reconsidered that, and here you go- a sequel fic XD. I'm a bit worried that, like most sequels, it's going to be worse than the original, but let's not start wining just yet.**

**So, what's the story? In 'From behind Bars', one day Mufasa and Scar just find themselves locked in a van, being driven by the humans that caught them away to a ZOO in Europe (if you haven't read the first fic, I suggest you start from there). Not very happy about the fact, the two have to get used to living away from home, and also to living **_**together**_**. It's a bit hard at times and they get into many adventures with both humans and other inhabitants of their prison. In the end, after a sort of personal conversion, Scar manages to get his brother back to Africa to rule the Pridelands once again, himself deciding to stay in the ZOO as a specimen valuable to his keepers, together with his mate Laila and their newborn cubs.**

**So much for what's already happened. And what am I going to write about in this continuation, which I have mysteriously named 'Out to Africa' (a play on words on the title of Sydney Pollack's film)? Well, this y'all will just have to read and find out! XD**

**This first chapter's a bit of an introduction. I hope you enjoy it as much as the original! Do not restrain from expressing your opinions in a review. Remember that always helps new chapters get born quicker XD.**

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**Chapter 1 - An Introduction**

There was a lion once.

A lion so evil and selfish that others said his heart was as dark as his pitch-black mane. A lion so evil that other refused to call him by his true name, instead referring to him as _Scar_ - the flaw of the Pridelands.

But that was a long time ago. One day, many years in the past, this lion had been plotting to steal the crown of the King of Beasts from Mufasa, his older brother. Scar was desperate enough to assassinate his sibling along with the king's young son, Simba- the rightful heir to the throne. And so he would have done, if it weren't for one unfortunate, or rather very fortunate occurence that then took place.

The _abduction_.

Never before have the Pridelands heard of anything like this. The history of the kingdom was changed forever by the interference of the most unpredictable creatures- _humans_. It were humans who put two lions, the king and his brother, to sleep. It were humans who stole Mufasa and Scar away from their natural habitat. It were humans who put them behind bars.

Then everything became different. Both of the brothers had to cope with this new situation- being taken away from their kingdom, from their home, from their family, and also being put inside a tight cage _with each other_. Back in the Pridelands, they'd hated one another- now they had to work together in order to survive. They had to pass through moments of anger and sorrow, a part of the painful process of healing old wounds... But in the end, thanks be to the Old Kings, brotherly unity had prevailed and even the dark heart of Scar could be cleansed, making him not a villain anymore, but almost a hero. His former nickname was no more when Taka, as he was originally called, sacrificing much of himself, managed to get his brother back to Africa, thus restoring the King of Beasts to his rightful position even though he thought he'd lost it. Taka did that not without the help of Laila- the lioness that was brought to the ZOO by the humans, later becoming his mate, the mother of his cubs and his partner in reign as the queen of all the caged animals in their institution.

But that was a long time ago. Throughout the years many things have happened in the ZOO. There's no use in describing all of the happy and tragic moments- the Internet could not hold all the fanfics that would have to be written about Taka's reign behind bars... To put a long story short, the lion and his mate occupied themselves mostly with filling the world with their offspring. After the first extremely joyful moments that came when Laila gave birth to the twins Mheetu and Mufasa (from which the first one was named after Taka's first son he had when he still lived in the Pridelands, while the second- in honor of his brother), there came a period of sorrow. The humans knew well that the black-maned feline was a descendant of an ancient race called the Cape Lion- beautiful because of it's unique dark fur and precious because almost all of the kind have been hunted down. This was why when other cubs of the royal pair were later born, to the terror of their parents, they were quickly taken away to be put in other institutions all around the world- either for the humans' amusement, or for the survival of the species. Taka and Laila were close to falling into despair when all of their children, except for their two oldest sons, had been stolen away from them. Fortunately, their kin inherited enough of their wit to later send birds- winged messengers who would inform their parents that they were alive, continuing their existence in various ZOOs all over the planet. This is how the pair was consoled, finding out that they had now in fact became the rulers of all the captive beasts everywhere. This was more than Taka could ever hope for. Seeing that it really had been wise to walk the righteous path, he committed himself to raising his two firstborn sons to be his worthy successors.

But Taka wasn't just your regular ZOO lion. He was famous for his wisdom, and after years of living in the ZOO he taught himself to see certain things by observing the behavior of his human keepers. After the 'bald monkeys', as he would still call them, took away all of the cubs from their last litter, Taka and Laila decided that they had enough. They were already too old for having children only to watch them being taken away. And since the humans left their oldest sons in peace, the two decided to just live a tranquil life together with Mheetu and Mufasa.

And so it had been, for a time. The only thing was that lately Taka noticed something new- something disturbing in how the humans were acting... Something that yet again brought sorrow to his old heart. Something that proved to him that life in the ZOO was about to change...

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**AN: So how did I do? Are you wondering what had been going on with Taka and his family back in the ZOO? Are you curious also about how Mufasa had been doing after his return to Africa? Are you awaiting to know what new adventures stand before both parts of the pride? If so, please let me know. I anticipate your reviews, my friends. Hope you're anticipating new updates, which should be arriving soon XD.**


	2. Bad News

**AN: Okay, 3 reviews for the first chapter. Not bad! Thank you guys! XD So, let's move on with the plot, shall we?**

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**Chapter 2 - Bad News**

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_**Raiser's Journal, Vol. V, p. 62.**_

_**April 12**_

_I can hardly believe this. I thought it was all over, but it's not. I mean, this continuous, unbearable war with the Wildlife Activists! The assurances_ _we've given and the fees we had to pay - all still not enough for those pea-brained tree huggers... Anyway, the Director called me this morning (he was 2 times as mad as I am now) telling me that they still have some sort of a problem with how we take care of the animals. He was only able to tell me that it's something about the lions- he said they think we don't need four of them. _Don't need_! It's not that we neglect them or anything, just that we _don't need_ as many as we own! Total nonsense. I hope the boss is able to persuade it to the activists. For now he's out of town, so I'll just have to wait. I don't want to lose none of my lions... I've grown really attached to them over all these years..._

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Then Taka called for his sons.

The two young adult felines could sense it was something serious by the mere tone of their father's voice. Immediately after the king spoke their names, Mheetu and Mufasa raised from their midday nap and directed their sight towards the lair- their parents' dominion within the Lion Walk. It took them a moment to stretch and yawn, but they knew that haste was required. Hardly ever were they summoned in such an urgent manner during the boring days at the ZOO, most of which looked very much alike...

They went pass the rock construction that stood in the midst of their miniature kingdom. Atop of it their mother laid ever-watchful, observing them now with her brown eyes just like she knew what was going on... And she looked very serious, too. Serious and mysterious. Or, at lest, that was the brothers' impression.

Mheetu and Mufasa, twins and both first-born sons of the ruling pair within the institution, entered the soothing shade of the rocky pallace, built for them by their human 'benefactors'. Inside, under the cave wall, old Taka waited expecting them- the king of this ZOO and all of the captive animals, whipping the ground with his tail as was his regular practice when he was waiting for something. He watched his children closely with that emerald stare of his, still keeping his Panthera Leo Melanochaitus charm that he and his mate passed on to their cubs- black mane, brown fur, dark eyes. The twins were indistinguishable for an unfamiliar beholder. Even as they saluted their father, they did it simultaneously.

-_Karibu, mtukufu Baba_ - they both said using the lions' sacred tongue- the noble language Taka taught all of his children, deciding that it should be known by all members of the royal family.

-_Karibuni, watoto_ - he answered plainly.

But there was something wrong. It was Taka's voice- Mheetu and Mufasa could hear a mist of sorrow covering his usually proud baritone. For some reason unknown to the twins, their father was sad.

-Is... everything okay? - asked Mheetu, the one who came to the world first and still had the habit of being the first one to react.

-Yes, father - Mufasa continued just afterwards. - You seem a bit... down, somehow. How come?

The king turned his head and sighed heavily.

-_Ohh..._ Do I? - raising from the ground, he stretched, making his back snap loudly. - Is it truly that visible?

The twins gazed at each other, then redirecting their startled faces towards their parent.

-It's because of the humans. It's them who are my concern - Taka continued with a bitter mood. - They've been acting... a bit odd lately, haven't they? I'm not sure. What's your opinion?

He gave them that inquiring look of his... The brothers knew it- their father was testing them, checking whether if they could think for themselves. So they both started straining their minds, searching their memory for anything of of the ordinary that they might have noticed. And this time, the first one to answer was Mufasa.

-Well... I've seen our keeper appear a few times along with some other unfamiliar bald monkeys. A bit too often, if you asked me. I think they were talking about us.

-Right! - Mheetu backed him up. - And they were arguing, too. Or at least it seemed that way... Anyhow, the keeper didn't look very enthusiastic.

The king listened to his sons carefully, afterwards nodding to confirm what he'd heard from them.

-Yes. You are both correct. Now tell me- what do you make of this situation, _hm_?

This time, the twins hung their heads down under the weight of Taka's demanding expression. But the old lion did not become mad only because his sons failed to guess what was going on. No, the sheer fact that _he _knew was enough of a burden for him already. Emitting another deep sigh, he began walking slowly from one wall of the cave towards the other, delivering his uneasy explanation.

-The human who's been our keepers since I had been first brought here years ago is probably the only bald monkey that has any feelings of empathy concerning us lions. Do you know what this means? That means that if he's talking about us to some people not looking very cheerful as he does it, that can only be a sign for us. You are conscious what kind of a sign it is, am I right?

-That we probably shouldn't be very cheerful ourselves...? - Mheetu risked a guess, his smooth voice that resembled that of his mother's a bit withdrawn by hesitation.

-That's true - his father responded. - But do you know _why_?

This time, there was no answer.

-Then, perhaps, maybe you remember the last the last occasion when that human looked as sorrowful as he did during the last days?

As Taka spoke, it was all starting to become more and more clear for the brothers. And as it became clearer, they also knew that their situation was indeed about to become pretty dark...

-It was when they took Tabitha away, wasn't it? - not without trouble, Mufasa expressed both of the brothers' fears, to what their father could do nothing more apart from ostending before them the sad shine of his jade iris...

-She was my last daughter - he wheezed. - I thought that they'd at least leave me my sons...

The twins felt stunned. Up until now, they'd lived their whole life in stability inside the Lion Walk, and although seeing the humans taking away all of their siblings, they were convinced that they themselves could feel safe... Until now, that is.

-But... Father! Are you sure of this? - Mheetu asked, his voice broken even more.

The king looked unnaturally disrupt. One who would attempt to find in him a bit of leftover former coldness of the nearly heartless Scar that this lion had once been, would fail. It took him a moment before he could even let the words out of his constricted throat.

-I'm sure enough.

-Well, who are they going to take? - Mufasa inquired, as usual more overpowered by blazing emotion than dismantled from weight of the inevitable.

-That I do not know. I just hope that it'll be only one of you... I suppose some other ZOO needs a fertile adult male lion, that's all. It's... not the end of the world, really. The one that'll be taken away will get a new home, a new kingdom for himself, a new queen along with that, undoubtedly... While the one of you who stays shall take my place here.

Taka tried to cheer his sons and himself up with these words, but it was futile. He could stand it when humans took away his other children, because of their intentional practice of doing that when the cubs were still little and their parents had not yet become so attached to them. As for his oldest sons, however... They were something else. Mheetu and Mufasa were precious to both him and Laila, their mother- they were their pride, their utmost closest persons, and also their heirs. And now at least one of them was to be taken away forever...

-Does mother know about this? - Mheetu asked Taka after a minute of meaningful silence. The king ceased his circling around and looked at his sons again.

-I told her yesterday.

-How did she take it? - Mufasa asked.

-_Puh_. To think she used to be such a sensitive lioness once... I suppose the experience of observing eight of her own offspring being stolen away from her as soon as they stopped drinking her milk toughened her up. Your mother is as hard as the rocks in this cave. She'll endure.

Suddenly, all three males turned towards the entrance to the den hearing the sound of someone approaching. It was Laila.

-I might have endured seeing eight cubs being stolen away from me... - she announced heavily, entering the shade. - But that does not mean I'm as passionless and hard as a rock. And it does not mean I won't shed a tear when they steal from me... a ninth.

The hazel eyes of the queen became wet as she caressed her beloved sons. The lions tried to comfort their mother, but it took no effect. Even her mate could not do much when he approached and held her tightly.

-I might still be wrong - he whispered.

But the lioness just wiped her tears to keep her dignity and then turned around, speaking only a few words before she walked away to hide her sorrow.

-No, Taka. You aren't wrong. Sadly, you are _never_ wrong.

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**AN: As you can see, the old ideas I used in the first part came back in the sequel. Like the 'Raisers Journal', for example- a human's eye view on the events in the life of the lion characters, written by a zoologist who's been taking care of the felines since the very beginning.**

**As for the story itself, I suppose you got the idea that it's mostly going to circle around the life of Taka's descendants... But enough spoilers. Feel free to inform me about your opinion. I'll be updating as fast as I can.**

**Allora, a presto XD.**


	3. The Test

**Chapter 3 - The Test**

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Taka was violently woken up by the desperate voice of his mate. He felt awful- it was the middle of the night and he had no idea how long he'd been asleep or what he had been doing. 'Sedatives...' - he thought, immediately throwing a soundless curse. He had to fight through a weary mist that covered his mind before he could understand what Laila was speaking to him.

-Taka... Mheetu and Mufasa! You have to wake up!

-What do you mean? - mumbled the stunned lion. - Give me a second, it seems that the humans put something in our food... What happened to the boys?

When his vision cleared a bit, he could see just how terrified his mate was. And only then did he understand.

-They're gone, Taka! Both of them are gone! - cried the female.

-No... Not both of them... - the old lion could not believe the cruelty of the humans. All he could do now was to go out of the cave, gaze up at the starry sky and repeat this one phrase over and over, louder each time until it changed into a roar that woke up all the other animals in the ZOO.

-_Mababu! Si wote wawili... __O nawasihi, si wote wawili*!_

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_* Ancestors! Not both of them... Oh please, not both of them! (Swah.)  
_

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_**Raiser's Journal, Vol. V, p. 63.**_

_**April 14**_

_So it came to this... I should have known! One day they'll leave this ZOO without any lions at all! Ok, gotta keep calm. The Director came back and told me he couldn't do anything. The activists just barged into his office carrying some kinda warrant from the Vet Inspection that said we have to give them one of our lions... I have no idea where they're planning to send him! My lions couldn't have better living conditions anywhere apart from the African savannah! Worse thing is they told me to pick one of the young males, the stronger one. How am I supposed to do that? Romulus and Remus are twins, no one can tell which one is in the least bit different than the other! I went to the Director to talk about this dilemma... And, frankly, every year I'm getting more and more convinced that this guy thinks about nothing but making cash! The proposition he gave me is outrageous! He said he has this friend. A rich friend who used to be a big safari fan, only that he's already a bit too old to travel so far. But this wealthy pig has like a big ranch with lots of land and lots of cows... So he thought about organizing a real live hunt with his own cattle as prey and my lions as hunters! The Director told me this way we could see which one of the twins does better, and also earn a briefcase of money. Well, that's what he thinks. I say- _over my dead body!

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Mheetu and Mufasa were woken up by a delicate breeze of warm wind... Or maybe it were their rumbling stomachs.

One way or the other, they weren't very happy when they opened their eyes. The thing was that, for nearly the first time in their lives, they were out of their Lion Walk. And that was really, really alarming.

-_Aww_, my head... - moaned one of the brothers, still feeling a little dizzy. His sibling wasn't even feeling well enough to stand up just yet.

-What is this place? - Mufasa asked, fearing if speaking wouldn't cause him to throw up, what fortunately did not take place.

Mheetu examined the surrounding landscape. The two lions' large, dark brown silhouettes stood out among the uniform green of the wide field of grass they were presently on. None of them has ever seen so much grass in one place, and the sensation which normally wouldn't move anyone, to them was quite a novelty.

-_Wow_...

Mufasa, hearing his brother's gasp of amazement, stood up to his feet and shook away his slowly decreasing nausea.

-What's so fascinating about this place? Nothing but a pasture, I suppose...

-No, you're missing the point. Take a closer look around...

The lion strained his eyes, but his sight was still somewhat foggy.

-I'm sorry. I can't see a thing here. The humans just took us from the ZOO and put us in the middle of nowhere...

Mheetu interrupted his brother by standing in front of him and, what was surprising, putting his paws upon Mufasa's shoulders.

-Look. There aren't any bars here.

A bit startled by his own lack of perception, the other feline took another swift peek on both sides.

-Hey, wha'dya know... - he smiled. - No bars.

-We're out of the cage, bro'! - spoke the other one happily, letting him go. - We're out of the cage!

Mufasa sat down and laughed, observing as Mheetu began surfing the waves of grass to and fro in a euphoric amok. Then, without a warning, he pounced straight at him, pinning him to the floor as if they were still cubs.

-We're both never gonna see our parents again... - Mufasa said, showing he was the more realistic one of the twins. But that did not make Mheetu lose his enthusiasm.

-I could get used to this! - he puffed between breaths and immediately took off into the field again, not paying attention to his brother's words.

Little did the lions know that despite the seeming security of the pasture, curious eyes were upon them constantly. Eyes that caught up every bit of their behavior, intending to use this experience to determine the brothers' future. When they were inside the Lion Walk, Mheetu and Mufasa were almost impossible to distinguish. Both of the same size, slim, both with coats the color of oaken wood on their backs and sides and creamy-beige on their bellies, short, noble-shaped muzzles... They both inherited black manes from their father and brown eyes from their mother. Hardly and characteristic features. Only by the qualities of their character could one tell which one of them was which- and now those differences started to become clearly visible.

A few pairs of human eyes, assisted with the help of binoculars, observed the cautious Mufasa as he still sat upon a small hill, scoping the area carefully and without showing much emotion. Not far away was Mheetu, crazed and devoid of any form of hesitation as he ran around without a specific reason, happy about the sheer fact that he finally _could_ run. Which one of them was more appropriate? Which one of them was ready? That would still have to be determined by a different test...

-We're going to have to find something to eat - Mufasa said soberly, adding to himself in his mind that most likely their days of being fed without taking the effort to get their food, were over.

At first, Mheetu did not respond. His brother just watched his figure as it moved among the grass, and then...

-_Whoooah_!

Mufasa directed his ears towards the other lion's new, even greater gasp of excitement.

-What is it _this_ time? - he narrowed his eyes as he saw Mheetu galloping with his tongue stuck out.

-Look over there! Look over there!

Mufasa was anything but moved with his twin's emotional response to all the new things that surrounded them, but despite his bored expression, he turned his head towards where Mheetu was pointing with his shaking paw.

-Oh very well, let me see... _Hm_, I can't see anything except a... Wait a minute! Is _that_ what I think it is?

Now even Mufasa's eyes went wide. A grin of pleasure appeared upon the brothers' faces when they noticed before them... a large herd of cattle.

-Are these _cows_? - he asked with delight, gazing at the black-and-white stain upon the green horizon.

-I'm not sure, but I think so - Mheetu's voice was filled with hope. Never before has he seen a whole, living cow before. Parts of it yes, but never a whole one.

-_Hm_, so that's what a cow looks like, ay? Are you thinking what I'm thinking?

-Now let me take a wild guess here, 'Fasa... Now that we _see_ a live cow, you're probably wondering about how it _tastes_, am I right?

The lion did not have to answer. All the brothers needed to come to an agreement was a communicative look and a mutual, cunning smile.

-First we're gonna need a strategy - Mufasa was, as always, the head of the thing. - There's no way any of these animals would let us eat it without a fight.

-Yes, suppose you're right, bro'. Do you by chance remember anything our parents told us about hunting?

-Oh, do I ever. These were always the stories I personally favored best. But remembering is one thing. The hardest part will be to put that knowledge into use...

That's how Mheetu and Mufasa started planning the tactics of their first ever hunt. They didn't have any other experience beside what Taka and Laila had told them, but then again, their prey was all but prepared for a pair of lions attacking them...

-All right, so this is the plan - Mufasa concluded. - You go to the west and hide somewhere. Wait for me to scare the herd away towards your position. When they get close enough- attack whoever is closest. I'll try to catch up with you as fast as I can to bring the prey down. Got it?

Mheetu still seemed a bit unsure.

-_Erm_, that's a great plan, brother. Just that...

-_Huh_? What's the problem? There couldn't be anything easier than this!

-Right, only that...

-... so what's the matter?

-How do I know which side is west?

-Oh _Mheetu_! You're simply impossible! Just go with the wind and try not to be seen... Or heard, or noticed in any other way. Got it?

This time the lion nodded with enthusiasm, turned around and momentarily ran away.

-_Don't run_, for goodness' sake! You're too loud when you run! _Oh, spirits_... please don't let us starve to death in this place...

And so the brothers went into position. Mufasa, who was supposed to initiate the hunt, felt something like a sort of strong stage fright. But then again, his natural instincts started waking up from their long slumber- that he could feel intensively.

-Okay, there's about thirty of them over there... - he whispered to himself as he crouched in the thicket with a hammering heart. - ... so one of them just _has_ to run towards where Mheetu's at... I just hope he doesn't mess anything up. Allright now... here goes nothing...

After saying that he took a deep breath, filling his lungs with air, and then sprung out form his hunting spot, dashing towards the unexpecting cattle.

A few hundred meters away, his brother was already on his place, also feeling the adrenaline rushing rapidly as he saw movement among the herd...

_-MOOOOOO!_

-Crap, that's gotta be my signal to act... - he thought as a whole army of animals suddenly turned and started running straight at him in panic. - ... but wait a minute. Why're they all coming straight _at me_? _Oooh no..._

Now Mheetu considered that maybe it was time to relocate. From a close distance, the cows really started to look more dangerous to him than he was to them... Rushing from his hiding place in the nick of time, he learned that his morning warm up had really been a good idea, because now he had to run as fast as ever. The herd was right at his heels, and after some time of escaping he felt as it come even closer.

-This... is tiring... - he wheezed, deciding that he better change his direction or else soon he'd get trampled to death.

That was what he did, getting out of the way of most of the herd. Now he was running beside the cows, unthreatened with getting in their way, but still pretty far from capturing lunch. Then he heard a familiar voice screaming something to him.

-Over here! _Over here!_

When Mheetu turned his head around, he saw Mufasa, right at the tail of one particular cow that ran at the back of the herd. This was their chance. All he had to do now was to get there... As carefully as he could he slowed down, letting the animal on his left overtake him. Balancing on the enge of getting crushed by the hooves of others, he swiftly moved between then, surprised with his own skills, until he found himself in front of the very target of his brother's. All it took now was to make a quick half-turn... and to attack.

-_RRRAH!_

Mufasa, already close to exhaustion from the pursuit, became amazed after hearing his twin's mighty roar. Mheetu charged straight at the cow, and the horned animal was so shocked that it almost tripped, halting rapidly.

-_Whoah!_ - screamed the lion from behind it as he almost crashed into the cow's rear. - All right, we've got 'em now! Don't let it get away!

Mufasa stooped down and jumped as height as he could, landing upon the herbivore's back with his front paws, piercing his hide with his claws. Now he knew why his mother always reminded him to sharpen them every day... He was also happy to see that also his brother was busy with attacking the cow's neck. But the mooing and bawling animal also had a natural self-defense program written inside it's head...

-_Uff!_ - Mufasa groaned, accepting a strong kick to the stomach.

Their target's strength made him lose his grip and fall to the ground. Fortunately, he managed not to lose his balance, but he also saw that the cow succeeded in throwing Mheetu off by a powerful motion of her massive head.

-Mind the horns! - he growled, but then he had to fall flat to the ground himself as the cow turned around, went over him and started to run. - Mheetu! Get it, brother! _Get it!_

His brother did just that- he also jumped over Mufasa and rushed straight at their wounded target with a sort of haste that had never been seen in him before. After a short pursuit, he changed his direction a bit, went up a small hill and... to Mufasa's great admiration, using the height as an advantage, he leapt so far that he was able to grab the cow by it's nape with his paws and bite into it's neck.

-That's the spirit! - Mufasa cheered, immediately rushing to fulfill his role in bringing their pray down to the ground.

And so, despite their lack of experience, the twin lions have succeeded. It wasn't hard afterwards. A few moments later the cow was dead and for the first time in their lives the brothers enjoyed the taste of fresh meat, similar but yet so much different from the carrion they were fed with back at the ZOO.

-That was _great!_ - exclaimed Mufasa, licking the blood from his muzzle.

-Right, you bet! - Mheetu confirmed, smiling. - I think I could do this every day! I hope there are more herds like those around here... _Hey_! Did you just eat the stomach? I told you I wanted it for myself!

-Calm down, brother! Look- there are three more stomachs left in here. We can still share those, if you like.

-Oh. Well, check that out...

The feast lasted for quite some time and the twin lions were so happy about having the chance to finally taste the life of a real wild carnivore that they forgot all about their parents and the ZOO... Unfortunately, when they went to sleep just afterwards, they also forgot about all the other safety precautions. This is why the humans that approached them with their rifles, had no trouble at all with shooting both of them with tranquilizer.

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**AN: Don't you just love hunting scenes? I know I do. I know this way in which humans are treating the lions might be a bit confusing (for example, the Raiser calls Taka's sons Romulus and Remus, because he doesn't know how their parents named them, apparently. You can say I just came back from Italy, ay?). But don't worry- it's all just an intoduction. The plot'll become more clear very soon, so stay tuned, my friends XD**


	4. Time to say Goodbye

**Chapter 4 - Time to say Goodbye**

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_**Raiser's Journal, Vol. V, p. 64.**_

_**April 16**_

_I really need to write this down- I did _not_ want to spectate that parody of a hunt! They _made_ me take part in it. And I don't care about the money they gave me. This was pure cruelty, nothing more. I mean, for the cows- they had no chance against Romulus and Remus! I'm just glad it's already over... and that's probably the only thing I'm glad about. After the ranch owner paid him, the Director forgot all about his discontent with having to give away one of our lions. Now the poor animal is doomed to be taken from his home... And when the activists told me what they are going to do with him, I was petrified. They aren't going to transfer him to another ZOO at all. They want to... release him into the wild! In_ Africa_! They told me to pick one of the twins who'd be better for that purpose... I don't know what to think about all of this._

* * *

_**Raiser's Journal, Vol. V, p. 65.**_

_**April 17**_

_It's 2 in the morning and I made up my mind. I think Remus did best during the hunt, he has the best test results and I consider him thoroughly more prepared to stand the hardships of going back to the wild. The idea itself is total nonsense- the lion will be threatened with all kinds of dangers like diseases, poachers, not mentioning starving to death without having his own pride... And even if he does find one, it'll be close to impossible for such a valuable specimen of a Cape Lion to find members of his subspecies in the wild! This is all giving me a very real headache. But since I can't do anything to stop that, I made another decision- I'm going with him to Africa. At least for a few months. This way I'll be able to supervise Remus' integration with his natural habitat and, hopefully, help him survive. I'm determined to make the activists send the lion to as close as the place from where his father came from. So, after so many years, I guess I'll be seeing Tanzania again... I just hope those idiots from the ZOO will be taking good care of Black, Laila and Romulus while I'm gone._

* * *

Mheetu felt extremely confused and bad to the stomach. He no longer knew if what he was seeing was his dream or if it was really happening. His joints ached, his muscles burned, his head was turning round and round whenever he opened his eyes. After at least a few hours of lying upon some hard floor in moaning agony, he finally felt well enough to take a better look on his surroundings... And what did he see?

Bars. Strong, impenetrable iron bars- the same sight he'd thought to have been relieved from not so long ago, now reappearing before his eyes with a multiplied devastating effect. The young lion sighed hopelessly, placing his head down on the ground, or rather upon the wooden boards of his cage. But then a strange sensation appeared right on the other side of the metal poles that isolated him from the world- two bright, dancing flames, their color similar to the fresh grass of a pasture, only more violent and glowing...

The eyes of his father.

At first he wasn't sure if it was really Taka or just a mirage of his mind. However a second later the two flames halted, and from between the bars Mheetu could see the old, deep scar that still disfigured his parent's face- a frame for one of the burning, jade torches that somehow dispelled the surrounding darkness, beckoning him towards them.

He attempted to lift himself up, but since because of his drugged state he hadn't enough strength, he collapsed back to the floor with another desperate huff. And then he heard a silent voice.

-_Shhh_... Do not waste your energy. You are going to need it very soon.

The voice was neither happy nor sad, but it was undoubtedly the property of the ZOO's king. And at least that was somewhat consoling.

-We're proud of you, Mheetu - Taka continued. - We can see how bravely you are taking this... May this bravery last in you wherever you will find yourself. The travel will be demanding, but don't worry about that- when it comes to an end, you'll remember nothing from the hardships of your relocation. And don't worry about us, as well... We'll be fine here with your brother. The time we spend together was valuable, neither me nor your mother will forget it. But now comes the time for a change. Not for the worse. Only for different.

Mheetu was surprised that his father spoke on behalf of the whole family. In the highest effort, he opened his eyes once again to see if Laila and Mufasa were also there. At first he only saw the image of the old, scarred lion behind the bars, but as he deeply gazed at the foggy darkness beside him, it seemed as if his dream materialized itself right before him. There they were, emerging from the shadows- his mother, fighting a battle with herself not to cry, and his twin brother keeping her company, both gazing at him with the sorrow of someone made to deliver his farewell to a person close to his heart.

-You did well during our hunt, brother - Mufasa said, smiling awkwardly. - I'm sure you're going to be fine. Just don't forget us...

-Oh Mheetu! - Laila exclaimed as tears ran down her face. - Send a bird to us as soon as possible! Let us know that you're okay wherever they're sending you...

They stood like that for a few more moments and the caged young lion felt that his strength has almost abandoned him. He wanted to say something, some appropriate words of goodbye to his parents and brother who he was now seeing probably for the last time in his life. But he couldn't speak. All he could do was to whisper a short phrase, a brief but meaningful sentence that was almost sacred for the whole line of royal felines who's roots were far away in the distant Pridelands.

-_Sisi ni moja..._

Taka shivered and looked at his mate. Laila was truly touched by her son's last words.

-_We are one_... - he repeated them to himself, remembering that one similar event from years ago when he said the same words to his brother just before he was about to be sent back to Africa, to his kingdom. It was then when Taka thought for a moment about whether Mufasa Senior was still alive...

Redirecting his sight back towards his son, he noticed him to already be fast asleep in his small cage.

-_Safari vizuri, Mheetu mwanangu... Mababu kumlinda*_.

Taka's prayer went up towards the stars and he turned around, leaving the young lion with his mother and brother. He still had other business to take care of. Walking slowly through the small portion of land he owned and ruled, showing to everyone that he was still the king here, he approached one of the walls of the Lion Walk- the one made of transparent glass so that the ZOO's visitors could see right through it. But it was already too late for visits. The human who stood at the other side of the glass wasn't just another bored observer who came for a few minutes to gaze at a bunch of captive wild beasts and maybe take a few photoes. Oh no, this was someone very different- the middle-aged man upon whom Taka was now looking intensively had been with him for years as his and his family's keeper and patron. The only _bald monkey_ whom he could trust. And now they shared a moment of goodbye- human and lion, two of the strongest beings on Earth, each of them just as able of becoming a beast as the other.

-You take good care of him. Please. I _beseech_ you.

Of course the human did not understand the lion's words... But then again, Taka thought that it wasn't necessary for him to know his language. It was clear when immediately after the animal spoke, the man suddenly nodded, smiled and turned around, giving the order for other people to open the gate of the Lion Walk and carry out Mheetu's cage.

* * *

_*Journey well, Mheetu my son... Ancestors, protect him._

* * *

**AN: _Con te partirooo_... Sorry. So, did some of you think that most of this story will have Taka involved in it? Well it's gonna be a bit different- his son Mheetu's going 'out to Africa' from behind the bars of the ZOO... Question is- who's he gonna meet there? I hope your interested.**


	5. Out to Africa

**AN: Okay, unlike in part I, I'm gonna save you guys the long description of Mheetu's lone journey to Africa. This chapter will consist solely of the few adnotations made by his keeper, but worry not- the plot will move on soon enough.**

* * *

**Chapter 5 - Out to Africa**

* * *

_**Raiser's Journal, Vol. V, p. 68.**_

_**April 23**_

_After hours of formalities I had to go through in Europe, the calm swaying of the ship is a soothing experience. Also Remus is taking the trip exceptionally well, even though before we left he looked pretty bad after I had to have him vaccinated against almost every animal disease known to man..._

_**Raiser's Journal, Vol. V, p. 69.**_

_**April 25**_

_I went to see Remus today. He's calm inside his cage, he accepts food without a problem and I think he recognizes me. He's not that tolerant towards the ship's crew, though... Guess he doesn't like strangers. I just hope he gets along with other lions when we get to the savannah._

_**Raiser's Journal, Vol. VI, p. 1.**_

_**April 27**_

_We're in Tanzania. We got off the ship safely, I took care of all the formalities and now me and Remus are inside a big 4x4 that'll bring us straight to where this whole story started when I first came here to bring Read and Black to the ZOO. I can't believe all those years have passed since then... Anyway, when we were still in the city, I bought myself a new notebook. I suppose I'll be away from civilization for a while, and besides- a new chapter of this story calls for a new volume of the Raiser's Journal. Who knows, I might even edit this when I'm back to Europe?_

_**Raiser's Journal, Vol. VI, p. 2.**_

_**April 27**_

_Well what do you know, there's actually a native African tribe that lives only a few miles from the place of our destination. I spoke with the shaman and even though his Swahili was very weak, he managed to tell me a few things about this land. He said it's not really fertile (that's not very good), but still there are some lions here (which could be either good or bad, depending on how Remus behaves). Furthermore, he said that he didn't see many white people around, which proves that the danger of lion poaching isn't very high. I must say I'm relieved- with his looks Remus would be a great target for someone who'd want to make a rug out of him. Okay, enough writing. I gotta go prepare to let Remus out of his cage finally. I'm as excited as ever! I just hope he'll be okay. I have to be keeping my eye on him all the time._

_Oh, and one more thing- the shaman also told me that they call this area _'Njenchi'_. I think that in translation that would have to stand for _'The Outlands'_._

* * *

**AN: That's right- the Outlands! In a world where Scar killing Mufasa actually never happened. Anyone wanna take a wild guess who's Mheetu gonna meet there? XD**


	6. Duel

**Chapter 6 - Duel**

* * *

His father was right. The travel was unbearable. During the long days of being held in the most uncomfortable of conditions, Mheetu wished for nothing but one thing- to be let out of his tight cage and to see the sky again. And this morning, when he opened his eyes, that dream seemed to have finally come true.

Judging from how it was difficult for him to wake up, he noticed that the humans have put him to sleep again, just as they have done multiple times within the past days. Only this time he felt something that brought a little bit more hope- namely, soft ground underneath his paws, in contrast to the wooden boards or concrete pavement of cages he'd already gotten used to.

_Okay. You have to do this. You've got to open your eyes_... - the lion encouraged himself in his thoughts. The scents he was feeling were very interesting and Mheetu was simply dying to see the place which apparently was to be his new home. With the highest effort, he lifted one of his eyelids... And then, stuggling with the temptation to go back to sleep, also the other.

What he saw was... a bit of a surprise for him. Because, frankly, he didn't really see much at all. Only an endless, monotonous sea of reddish sand...

Another thing that shocked him was the heat. After he was able to lift himself up he noticed that the humans have left him in the shadow of a dried-up tree, but when he put one of his paws away from the shade, the heat of the ground almost burned him. The sun in the cloudless, azure sky blazed like a torch stuck right in front of his face, and he was starting to feel very thirsty, too. A bit distracted by his new surroundings, the lion stretched and made a few steps, ascending a nearby dune. Form there he was able to take a further look around, but still the heat was so intense that it almost blinded him. He was out from behind bars, that was for sure. But even though that fact made him happy, he still considered it would be better for him to find some water fast, or else he'd getto enjoy his freedom for a very short time.

_What have we here... _- he mumbled, scoping the area. - _Almost nothing except for dirt and bushes, it seems. But wait a minute! Isn't that a blink of sunlight reflecting from the surface of a waterhole in the distance?_

Not thinking much, with a stuck-out tongue, Mheetu rushed to what he hoped not to be a mirage. He went over one hill and then another... Only that in his lust for water he forgot about one thing- paying attention to what was standing in his way. He was already at the edge of the waterhole, when suddenly...

_WHAM!_

He colided with something big and soft- something that, surprisingly for him, moaned as if it atcually _enjoyed_ the collision.

-_Mrrr, _atacking me from behind, are ya?- purred the creature, turning around and gazing at Mheetu who'd lost his ballance and was now dabbling in the dirt. - Wait... you're not...

The lion shook the dust from his mane and noticed to be lying in front of nothing other than another member of his own kind. Moreover, it was also a female- a big adult lioness, a bit younger than himself, but still looking pretty ferocious despite her bright blue eyes. Especially when she growled at him.

-_Argh!_ Who are ya, tresspasser? And how dare ya attack me like that?

Totally crestfallen, Mheetu treied to explain himself.

-Why I... I... I never meant to attack you, actually! Please, calm down. The only reason I ran was because I saw this waterhole. I simply failed to notice you were here, that's all.

The lioness ceased baring her fangs at him, but still looked quite shocked. Mheetu stood up from the ground wondering how could she even see him despite the really thick tuft of hair that hung above her forehead...

-I haven't met you before - she uttered suspiciously. - What's with the accent? You come from down south, or what?

-Accent? - repeated the lion, not very sure about what she meant. But then their conversation was interrupted by another voice of someone yelling at them.

-_Ey!_

They turned their heads towards the summit of another nearby hill. On top of it there stood a third lion- a male this time, about as old as the lioness, with a bright, almost yellow coat and a not yet fully grown, reddish-brown mane. Immediately when Mheetu put his eyes on him, the feline snorted angrily and ran down hill in a cloud of dust, halting in front of the female as if he wanted to protect his property.

-What're you doing here? - the lad growled, showing to the surprised newcommer that he was looking for trouble. But Mheetu did not want to provoke him.

-Pardon me, but I can assure you that nothing happened! - he replied with indignation, turning to the female to make her confirm the truth of what he said.

But the lioness was far from explaining anything. She just smiled innocently, sat down and observed the course of events without mouthing a word.

-If you want to come anywhere near her, you're gonna have to get through _me_! - taunted the male.

Both of the young lions' attitude got on Mheetu's nerves. This was far from the welcome he'd expected to get in this new land. It was more likely another test of the bald monkeys. But nonetheless, he was still the king's son- even if he was far away from Taka's jurisdiction.

-Is that so? And what are you going to do to shoo me away, _ginger-head_?

This time, the yellow lion did not answer. Well, at least not with words. His response was a mighty growl he sent out as he leapt straight at the dark-haired stranger before him.

-_Oof_! Now you went too far!

Under the lioness' curious supervision, the two males started their struggle upon the sandy shore of the murky waterhole. Mheetu managed to dodge his attackes's first assault, but whet the agile young feline turned to him with claws unsheathed, he had to clash with him. The agressive daredevil was a bit smaller, yet still seemed well-fed and muscular. Mheetu had to use the advantage of his longer paws and the velocity of his movement. But since duelling was an everyday practice for him and Mufasa back at the ZOO, he considered it worth a try to engage in this real-live brawl.

-_Take that!_ - he growled, sending a forceful slap straight to the yellow lion's jaw as soon as he found a gap in his defense. His opponent shook his head snarling, not very pleased with having his face scratched by the other's claws.

The young male's reaction was immediate. With a new strength that dwelled in fury, he suddenly jumped straight at Mheetu, momentarily sending the startled lion to the ground. He would have had him between the devil and the deep blue sea, only if the latter didn't react in the last part of a second in rolling his enemy to the side, straight to the water. Seeing that, the lioness burst out laughing.

-_Hahaha!_ Get up! What're ya waiting for, if you wanted to take a bath you shoulda done it earlier!

As well as Mheetu could see, the young male was practically stunned with her reaction. At first it seemed that these two were mates, but now it wasn't that obvious anymore. Shaking the water from his short mane, in a rage, the lion prepared for another attack. Mheetu was already quite tired from his recent travel, and this new outburst of his opponent's violance really made him quite desperate in his defense. Both of the fighters stood on their hind legs, each trying to hit the other with his paws and not get knocked out themselves. Finally, after a few omitted blows, Mheetu exposed his head and took a real strong hit... Everything started to swirl around. As to not get totally beaten up, he made a few steps backwards, trying to catch his breath. But that was exactly what the yellow lion was waiting for.

-Got you now! - he exclaimed with tryumph, pouncing furiously at the unprepared Mheetu.

But Mheetu was still conscious enough to move away, and even though he wasn't able to fully dodge the attack, getting his chest wounded by the attacker's claws, he still unintentionally managed to gain the advantage- feeling the pain of his injury, he lost his balance and fell to the side... straight on the his opponent's left front paw. A loud crack filled the air as he crushed it with all of his body's mass.

-_YOOOOW_! - roared the red-mained lion with pain.

Mheetu got himself together totally surprised with the damage he inflicted. The miserable view of the other male caressing his crippled limb almost made him sad... But, then again, he was victorious. And the female immediately showed him just how impressed she was with the fact.

-Well, what do ya know... - she said smiling as she stood up and walked towards the victor. - I didn't think it would end like this... _Very_ interesting.

Stunned and desperate, the conquered lion gazed upon the lioness with a silent request, but with a simple snort and a raw motion of her head, she rejected it, dismissing him. And so the redhead obediently walked away, limping with a hung head.

Mheetu looked at the mysterious female, demanding an explanation. But she did not want to give it to him just now. Instead, first she approached the waterhole and took a drink, not letting her azure eyes off the startled stranger.

-Well, go ahead. You can have some too. Don't be such a macho, I can see you're tired - she said with a sort of cheeky sarcasm.

Not saying anything, Mheetu stooped down and lapped the water greedily until his immense thirst was finally extinguished. Then, noticing that the lioness had made herself comfortable by lying down on the ground, he did the same, took a deep breath and finally started asking the questions answers to which he was just dying to know.

-Who _was_ that? - he huffed, curious about who exaclty has he defeated in combat a moment ago.

The female laughed with pure joy, but there was also something disturbing in her voice...

-_Haha! _Sorry stranger, but I figure you really wouldn't wanna know who _that_ was... - then, suddenly, she stood up and made a motion of her head that invited him to follow. - Come with me. I simply have to introduce you to my mother. She'll be... _extremely_ pleased to meet you.

* * *

**AN: Oops. Wonder who that was... XD**


	7. Enemies of Enemies

**AN: So, you think that the last chapter was a bit confusing? Here's something to sort things out for you, then.**

* * *

**Chapter 7 - Enemies of Enemies**

* * *

_**Raiser's Journal, Vol. VI, p. 3.**_

_**April 28**_

_Oops. I think I kinda miscalculated. I wanted to release Remus far away from the territory of any lion pride, but when he started to look for a source of water as soon as he woke up, he came across a pair of lion mates by the nearest waterhole he found! My pressure rose when the males started duelling- I was only about a mile away in the van with nothing but my binoculars! I was so afraid that this whole undertaking would be for nothing that I couldn't admire the beauty of the fight... Thank goodness Remus won! I just hope the other lion will be ok, cause he seemed to have broken his paw in the course of battle. My boy however looked pretty much okay, especially when he got to stay alone with the female. I'm observing them right now and I can't wait to see what happens._

* * *

-C'mon.

The mysterious young lioness didn't even give Mheetu a chance to ask what was actually going on before she nodded at him and started walking in an unknown direction.

-_Wait_! Wait for me! - he called, catching up with her. - Excuse me, but could you at least tell me your name?

The female looked at him with those deep blue eyes of hers, her face still covered with a strange, almost disturbing smile...

-Call me Vitani - she said so fast that the lion barely understood. - But you still haven't answered my question, nomad.

_Nomad_? That was the first time in his life somebody called him like that.

-Sorry, your question? I don't remember you asking me to introduce myself.

Vitani halted, smacking her lips with irritation.

-That's cause I haven't. Yet. The first thing I asked was- what's with the accent? You sound like a southener.

Now Mheetu remembered, but he also still didn't notice a difference. He only recalled one time when his mother said that he talks just like Taka.

-No, I don't suppose I'm what you call a 'southener'... - he responded awkwardly as he was still unconscious of where he actually was.

-Well, ya sound like one, anyway. So where ya from?

-_Uhm_, not from anywhere close, I'm sure...

-Oh, aren't you full o' secrets. Who are ya, then? An outlaw?

-No, not at all. I... just had to leave my pride, that's all.

-Then you're a nomad. That's fine with me, anyway- at least it shows you can take care of yourself. That gives you even a better start, _if_ you follow me...

She wanted to start walking again, but Mheetu had enough of her cynic approach. He held her back, putting a paw on her shoulder.

-Now wait a second, _Vitani_! And what if I _don't_ want to follow you? Because why should I? I don't even know what this scorched wasteland is!

Once again, the female bared her fangs at him.

-Welcome to the Outlands. It might not be the most fertile part of Africa, but it's my home. C'mon, I'll introduce you to the others!

Normally, Mheetu liked adventures. But this was all just too weird and overwhelming.

-I'm in _Africa_? - he mumbled to himself. He wasn't sure whether he should be happy about it or sad because of being put in an environment he knew from nothing but stories... - Hey, wait!

Vitani was already on her way to wherever she headed, and Mheetu had to catch up with her. When he did, she turned towards him again, this time with a more 'normal' note in her voice.

-So, what's yer name?

-I'm Mheetu. Pleased to meet you - he bowed slightly.

-Nice t'meet you, too. Good job with kicking that lion's rump, by the way.

-Thanks... Well, I normally don't go around fighting with others, but I suppose you'll agree that he simply asked for it.

-No doubt about that.

-Who was he, by the way? He seemed to be protecting you. For what reason?

The lioness chuckled.

-I'm begging you, please let's not talk about _him_, okay? I'll explain as soon as we get to the mound.

-The _mound_?

-Yeah. It's not very far away. So, how long have you been traveling?

-I... I seem to have lost count! I'm not sure. Maybe about a week or so?

-A week? You gotta be exhausted and hungry. We'll try to fix you up with some dinner as soon as we join my pride.

And so they walked on through the dried up plains of the Outlands. Mheetu wondered how it was possible for any lions to live there at all, as he failed to notice any herds or large animals on their way. Yet when he gazed at his new companion (and he felt more and more comfortable in her presence as they spoke) he saw that she wasn't emaciated or neglected in any other way. On the contrary- Vitani's strong built and pumped-up muscles made her look well-kept and even a bit tomboyish.

-Follow me, we live just over that hill - she invited him.

The surrounding area where they were at the moment showed signs of the presence of two species- lions, what could be told by the scent and the bones that were scattered all around, and termites. Mheetu had actually never seen termites before in his life, but when he remembered his father's tales about small insects that built large dominions like castles that were called _termite mounds_, he knew it immediately when he saw where exactly did Vitani's pride live. He now beheld a massive, sandy construction, as high as a tree and as wide as his former Lion Walk, with multiple entrances and caverns. Termites were crawling and swarming all around, as well as single skinny, dark-colored and unfriendly looking lions.

-Whoa... - Mheetu gasped with astonishment.

-Big thing, in'it? - the lioness smiled, once again encouraging him to follow her.

As he proceeded, the newcomer felt the surprised and alarmed gazes of Vitani's fellow pridemembers that made his heartbeat speed up drastically. Although none of them spoke, he felt that if he came here alone, he'd be attacked immediately.

-Wait here - said his guide, ordering him to stop before the entrance to the den.

Standing in front of them now, seemingly as a guard, was a young male lion with a bit... unsteady look, at least in Mheetu's eyes. Mostly because of his physical appearance...

-_Uh_! What're you up to now, 'Tani? - he groaned, nervously scratching the haggard, pitch-black mane on his head. - Who's this? Why did ya bring'em over here? Just wait 'till mom finds out...

The uncouth male gave Mheetu a glare of disdain, but Vitani quickly dispersed him.

-Oh _yeah_? Then why don't you go fetch her, _Nuka_? - she hissed mockingly.

The lion snorted, but then obediently turned around and went inside the mound. Mheetu couldn't fight the feeling that the two's mutual agression was in fact just typical, family-like quarreling.

-Who was that? - he asked the female.

-_That_? No one important. It was Nuka, my brother. He usually takes care of the 'being eloquent and extra nice to everyone' round here...

-I see...

The nomad did not pay attention to Vitani's irony. He was more concerned about the big crowd of lions that started gathering all around in front of the enrance to their den. Everyone was looking at him- curiously and not very friendly. Right now he only hoped that his female guide had a good idea how to explain his presence here, and that this was no trap of any kind. _Lions don't eat other lions... do they? _- he considered.

Few unbearable moments of waiting later, it looked like the boss of this place had finally arived to take care of the unexpected visitor. Mheetu knew that when he saw a trio of lions coming out of the termite mound. On one side, it was the emaciated scoundrel Nuka. On the other there walked another male, a younger yet far more sturdy-looking one, gazing at him closely with the sober glare of his green eyes. But to Mheetu's surprise, those two guys were only the side guard. Praetorians for another individual, not even a male at all, but a middle-aged, slim, ferociously-looking lioness. Her very look demanded respect and showed that she was someone who didn't like to fool around. Mheetu could see that when he sensed her rising rage as she approached him, making everyone else turn around as to not look in her narrowed, blood-shed eyes...

The female and her drones sat down on the ground. For a moment the newcommer could feel the burden of her sight, but later she redirected it, speaking to Vitani.

-Explain - she ordered simply, her voice harsh and angry.

The young lioness stiffened like a wooden plank, the words that came out of her mouth both stable and a bit astir.

-I... beg your excuse, mother. I know this encounter is unheralded, but I have something very important to report.

The leader of the pride raised her brow.

-Which is...?

-I'm afraid I was a bit careless while looking for water this morning. I went west to a far-away waterhole, and... There I was attacked. By another lion.

Mheetu could hear the sound of very deep breathing...

-By... _this_ lion? - asked the old female, looking as if she was about to pounce at him. Fortunately, Vitani kept her from doing that.

-No! No, mother... It was... someone else.

She said that in a very... specific way. Mheetu still couldn't make out the real point of this conversation, and it seemed that the leader lioness was also eager to know.

-Well then, who was it? Out with it,Vitani! I'm starting to become nervous...

-_Kopa_! It was Kopa, mother. I know, I was shocked too when I saw him so far away from his kingdom. I don't know what he wanted but he ambushed me when I was drinking, and then... And that's when _Mheetu_ appeared!

The young female turned her eyes on the startled nomad, and all of her pride along with her. The inhabitants of the Outlands were visibly interested with what Vitani had just revealed to them, especially when they heard the name _Kopa_. Now they gazed at the lion who defeated him in combat in a drastically different way- not hostile, but rather... curiously. And maybe even... with admiration?

-_Mheetu_, hmm? - repeated the leader, her face relaxing a little.

-Yeah! And you should have seen him, too... - her daughter smiled, giving her guest a delicate yet very meaningful nudge to let her do the talking. - Mheetu fought like a rabid rhino. Lil' Ginger-Mane had no chance against 'em.

-Is he... dead?

-No no, it didn't go _that_ well. But he had to walk home with a broken paw. He's not gonna be tresspassing anytime soon, I'm sur.

Suddenly, to Mheetu's surprise, the old lioness looked at him with an expression that showed unexpressed joy. Also her two bodyguards gazed in a way that was somewhat praising.

-_Hehehe... Mheetu_, isn't it? - she laughed, approaching him closely. - Don't be afraid, young lion. Enemies of my enemies are always friends to me. My name is Zira- and I am the leader of this pride you see. You are a rogue, aren't you? I thought so. You're welcome here, in the Outlands. Please, stay a while- let me express my gratitude for the service you've done for my daughter... and all of us, too.

With another mysterious smile, Zira headed back to her termite-infested castle. Before she vanished from his sight, Mheetu could still hear her turn to one of her guards.

-Nuka! Go find something to eat for our guest. And make it _fresh_!

The lion sqealed a short 'yes mother' and ran in an unknown direction. Also the other pridemembers got back to their business, and so Mheetu found himself alone with Vitani. But she didn't look like she wanted to explain much. Instead, she just eyed the nomad carefully, a delightful smile ever present upon her militant countenance...

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**AN: I just **_**love**_** messing with the plot! XD If you read my other stories, I recon you already know. So this time, we'll be able to see the life of Zira's pride- through Mheetu's eyes. In this story Scar never killed Mufasa nor exiled Simba, so the reason for **_**her**_** to be present in the Outlands is still to be explained. Also, I wanted to add Kopa as one of the characters- there's a theory that he was Vitani's cubhood friend, but Zira killed him and that's why he didn't appear in the second movie. Well in this parallel universe Simba's son is still alive. Crippled, yet alive- and if you're wondering what's going to happen now, I hope you'll wait for the next chapters to appear.**

**Oh, and about Mheetu's accent- since he's Taka's son, of course I had to make him speak British English. **_**Splendid**_** XD**


	8. Sleeping with Termites

**Chapter 8 - Sleeping with Termites**

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_**Raiser's Journal, Vol. VI, p. 4.**_

_**April 29**_

_This is very interesting! It seems that after Remus defeated her former mate, the lioness brought him to become a member of her own pride! I knew that things like that happen, but I\d never guess that my boy would find good company for himself so fast! I just hope he gets accapted by the others despite his origin. I've taken some time to study the structure of the Outlands Pride. It seems that it's quite unique, actually. I suppose it's because of the difficult environment in this droughty place. They are using a large termite mound as a den where they sleep. The pride consists of more than a dozen lions, but there is no alpha male and no cubs. The leader is an older lioness- I suppose her mate died some time ago. There are other two adult males here (the leader's sons, I guess), but they still act as subordinates of the head female. Who knows, maybe Remus with his new blood is going to become the new alpha male? I continue my observations on a daily basis._

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After Mheetu had dinner with the Outlanders, Zira showed him to one of the small shady caverns inside the termite mound and told him that if he wanted to, he could now get some rest. That idea seemed perfect- although the young lion was happy because of his new aquaintences' hospitality, he was also rather worn out after his long trip, as well as his recent, pretty exhausting duel. So thanking the pride's leader as politely as he could, he threw himself to the ground and fell asleep instantly.

The warm air and the silent buzzing of termites rocked him to float away to the land of dreams. He was seeing his home again- the Lion Walk in the distant, European ZOO, and also his family that awaited him there. Taka, Laila and Mufasa were all sitting peacefully on top of the rocks, happy to see their beloved son and brother returning to them. Mheetu was also pleased to be reunited with them. His mother jumped down and approached him, her dark brown eyes full of emotion...

-Hello there, handsome - she said. But there was something wrong with her voice...

-Mother! Uh, please don't call me like that...

A bit startled, the lion opened his eyes. Among the darkness he could indeed see a lioness standing in front of him, but that was deffinitely not Laila...

-_Gah_! What do you want, Zira? - he gasped, his dream severed too suddenly.

It was already late at night and the sight of the pride's leader was very unexpected. Especially that the lioness was gazing at him in a rather... strange way.

-You know, you remind me of my former mate - she contemplated, still not letting her eyes off him.

Mheetu snapped out of his drowsy state and sat up to be in a positon more appropriate for conversation.

-I'm... sorry - he mumbled. - I didn't hear you come in. _Karibu._

The female smiled.

-Oh that's alright. I understand that you're very tired and I don't blame you.

-_Uh_, yes, you're right... So... how may I help you?

-I just came to tell you how grateful I am for how you helped my daughter. You have no idea how much this means to me...

He was observing her a bit suspiciously. It was hard to tell what her intentions were... Not long ago Zira looked as if she wanted to kill him for the sole fact that he entered her land, and now she was trying to _mother_ him... Or was it even worse than that?

-Yes, well, no problem. I simply found myself in the right place at the right time...

-How humble of you. No need to hide it, you are something more than the common lions. I always liked dark fur, too...

Zira was coming closer, trying to hypnotize him with the look of her eyes, and that was feeling more and more awkward.

-_Ehm_... I suppose that explains why your children look the way they do...

The lioness paused a bit upon the change of the subject.

-Yes, Nuka and Kovu do look a lot like their father. Only Vitani inherited a larger part of my genes. But they're not who I wanted to talk about. I came here to talk about _you_, dear Mheetu.

-Meaning...?

-_Meaning_, I'm looking for a way to reward you.

If lions could sweat, Zira's glare would make Mheetu quite wet right now.

-You have done our pride a great service. Since you're a nomad, I 'd like to make you a little proposition...

He was afraid to ask, but he did anyway.

-A proposition?

-That's right. You see, I want you to join my pride. Wouldn't that be delightful? Frankly, I don't see another way you could survive in this harsh land... You don't know where the water is, you don't know where to find food...

She wanted to make another step towards him, but he moved away.

-I could always leave and not be a burder to you...

She sent him another grin.

-And where would you go then, _hm_?

Not hearing him answer she stood up and made a few steps around the cavern.

-No Mheetu, you're actually wrong- you're not being a _burden_ for us in any way. On the contrary- we could pretty much use someone as... _productive_ as you. Believe me, I'm not joking.

-And why am I feeling that there is more to this... proposition?

-You're right, there is! Of course, I'm going to ask you to carry out all the duties of a pridemember... - now she approached him so quickly and so suddenly that Mheetu wasn't even able to react before Zira started whispering in his ear. - ... It only depends on you to choose the role you're going to play in this... family.

The lion expressed his demand of explanations in a single look. He wasn't feeling at all comfortable with how the female tried to bewitch him.

-Get to the point, will you? I'm not a cub, I will not let myself be played with.

-_Hmm_, so apart from your looks you have a character, too. _I like that_... - she gave him that smile of hers yet another time. - Alright, I'm going to be brief with you if that's what you desire. You might be a bit younger but still you became... an object of my interest, so to say. I like you. Not many lions posess that privilege... - adopting an expression of deep longing, to his great surprise, she embraced him. - Some time ago this pride has lost it's leader- my beloved mate. From that day on we were forced to wander around the savannah like outcasts, until we found a home here, in the Outlands. And even though I managed to take my spouse's place, at times I still feel... awfully lonely. I may not show it, but... You do understand me, don't you Mheetu?

Totally astonished, the lion only shook his head, looking in Zira's sad eyes speechlessly.

-And now, like a sudden turn to the better, _you_ appear out of nowhere! - her smile was almost a touching one. - I'm a bit embarrassed to ask this of you, but... What do you think? Wouldn't it be nice for you to become the leader of your own pride, right here, at my side? My lionesses would be very pleased...

The echo of her arroused words faded in the cavern and for some time there was an awkward silence. A _drastically_ awkward silence, especially for Mheetu who had no place to run from Zira's begging, _demanding_ stare... He felt an annoying termite, struggling entangled in the fur on his , he could imagine how pleased the lionesses would be if he accepted their leader's proposition, just as easily as he could imagine their fury if he didn't... Once again he eyed the lioness from head to toe. Zira was older, skinny, not especially attractive... But she had power. And a lot of it, too- far more than what he could ever have in any ZOO in the world. If he said yes, his royal blood would not go wasted...

After considering his answer very carefully, Mheetu spoke with an attempt to sound as calm as he could, despite the fact that he wasn't calm at all.

-Do I have another choice?

Zira's expression changed immediately, but luckily she did not become mad. She just let him go, walked a few paces away and sat in front of him shifting the dialogue to more formal conditions.

-Why, of course. I don't want you to feel like you're being enslaved here or anything.

She smiled in a mysterious way, differently than before. Mheetu was all ears.

-I've noticed that my daughter has also become fond of you. Not that I blame her. You are a bit older, but if you choose so, I won't have it against you if you provide her with the proper company she needs.

It was indeed a disgusting proposition, but Mheetu didn't let Zira know what he really thought. Instead, he just nodded passively.

-Fine. If you prefer to have it this way, so be it. But I must warn you- we are still grateful of what you did to that little rat Kopa, but that doesn't mean you'll have any extra privileges as a member of my pride. You could have chosen to be above the other, but you did not. So be it- you are now my subordinate. I suppose I don't have to encourage you to keep peace with the others. I will not tolerate breaking the discipline. Rest now. Tomorrow Vitani will show you around. And take good care of her, too. Cause if you don't... oh, I think she'll just show you herself.

The last sentence was spoken when Zira was already on her way, walking into the darkness of the night. Mheetu was left alone- startled, not sure of what he should think.

-Have I just been... married? - he mumbled to himself, hoping that this was all nothing more than a dream. With that conviction, he went back to sleep.

It was maybe less than half an hour later when he heard somebody's pawsteps on the floor of his cavern.

-What _now_? - he groaned sleepily, afraid that it was Zira again.

But the lioness that stood in front of him now wasn't the pride's leader. It was her daughter.

-Vitani?

The female gazed at him passionlessly.

-Aren't you cold over here? - she asked.

Mheetu thought for a second. The air temperature was probably higher than anything he's ever experienced back in Europe.

-No.

Vitani shrugged and rolled her eyes.

-Well _I am_, so make me some room.

And then, without asking, the lioness threw herself on the ground right at Mheetu's side, using him as if he was a cushion of some sort.

-_Uh_! - he huffed, instinctively surrounding her with a paw. In a flash, she was already asleep.

-Great! Simply _marvelous_! - he said to himself in his mind, thinking how his parents would react if they saw him now. - This place is becoming stranger every second! Shame I can't do anything about it tonight... I just hope that my new _mate_ doesn't snore!

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**AN: What? Don't tell meyou thought that Zira would let Mheetu join her pride for free. Oh no, a young strong lion is far too useful, especially for a bunch of lonely lionesses (hyuk hyuk) XD.**


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